Bermuda's environmental machine is stepping up a campaign against the possible loss of a valuable `green zone'.

The collective might of the National Trust, Audobon Society, Save Open Spaces (SOS) and now the Garden Club of Bermuda are set to object to plans to build tourist accommodations at Quarry Hill.

They believe the hillside, which they claim is home to rare native plant species, should be left undisturbed and act as a buffer zone between a Government Quarry, Ship's Hill and the new development.

Furthermore, the Audobon Society believe the 60 additional guest rooms for a new hotel on the site of the former Castle Harbour property will eventually become luxury homes for sale.

But Bermuda Properties Ltd general manager Peter Parker said: "Our proposal is that before any development go up, we have undertaken and will do an environmental impact study.'' Mr. Parker also said he acknowledged that people had concerns and he did not want to discourage people from voicing those concerns.

Bermuda Audobon Society president Andrew Dobson submitted an objection that said the application would destroy Quarry Hill, which has a rare native and endemic plant community which has adapted to the old underlying geological formation.

The objection stated: "We also object on the grounds that this is a hillside that should remain undeveloped to provide a green buffer between the Government Quarry and the existing hotel buildings and the development at Ships Hill.

"We further believe that this development, although presently described as additional guest rooms for the hotel, will eventually be changed to luxury housing for sale. This type of housing is unnecessary and not in the best interest of the Bermuda Community as a whole.'' It continued: "As you are aware, this development cannot be supported under the current conservation designation of woodland reserve with open space overlay, and in our opinion it would be inappropriate for the Minister to allow a development order.'' Three objections have been registered and a fourth is expected from the Garden Club of Bermuda this week.

President of the 340 member Club, Joyce Zuill said that the club is supporting the National Trust's objection and think the site should be left untouched.

Environmentalists gear up for Quarry Hill battle which Quarry Hill has should be upheld and not developed.'' And she said that if permission was granted, it would create a dangerous precedent and held that other people who have valuable property zoned in the same way would want the right to do the same thing.

The proposed development aims to extend the former Castle Harbour property in Hamilton Parish by building 60 new guest rooms.

BPL faced a storm of protest after plans were submitted to develop Ship's Hill, also on the former Castle Harbour Hotel property, but triumphed over environmentalists after a Special Development Order was granted by Environment Minister, Gerald Simons in July 1995.

An appeal by the National Trust and Save Open Spaces (SOS) to overturn the decision was rejected by then Environment Minister Harry Soares in June 1998.

SOS chairman Stuart Smith lodged a pro-tem objection to the planned Quarry Hill development, giving him time to expand on his initial concerns.

Mr. Smith said the majority of the proposed area has protective zonings of open space, green space, nature reserve, woodland and woodland reserve, and he submitted that under no condition should permission be granted for development.

The objection also said that an environmental impact statement was not submitted for the proposed development.

The National Trust's environmental conservation officer, Lauren Critchley said in their objection: "The application is grossly lacking information vital for the complete assessment of a proposal of this magnitude.

"It would also cause serious environmental harm to one of Bermuda's most ecologically significant areas and should not be permitted.'' The objection highlighted various areas of contention, including the zoning of the land as tourism, open space, green space, nature reserve, recreation, woodland and woodland reserve, and says that these zones are not clearly marked in the plans for the development.

The Trust also highlighted the Island's Planning Statement, which says: "Nature reserves are of such value that all forms of development must be precluded.'' The objection continued "without clear definition of the conservation areas, it is impossible to determine the extent, if any, of the encroachment of the development onto these areas''.

There are believed to be caves on the property, and the Trust wrote: "The applicant has failed to clearly identify the location of all known caves on the site.'' The Trust also said that an environmental impact statement was not submitted until February 8, 2001, well after the development had been advertised, and they were only recently given an opportunity to review it.

It reserved the right to submit further comments on the environmental impact statement once reviewed.

The Trust objection also mentioned the Ships Hill development and says: "The Trust believes that to fully comprehend the enormity of this project and its ecological impact, one must also consider the impact of nearby Ships Hill development.'' "It is vital to recognise that the property that is the subject of the present application, with its multitude of caves and primary native forest is not only unique to Bermuda, but also to the world. To simply ignore these zonings not once, but twice, and to allow the proposed development would be environmentally devastating.'' In conclusion, it said: "The Trust submits that there is not enough information in the application to make a full and complete evaluation of the proposed development, and therefore, a complete objection cannot be made. The Trust respectfully submits that the developer should be required to submit all required information so that a complete assessment of the proposal can be made prior to any consideration of this application for approval in principle.''